I have never seen the anchor of a ship before. Pictures around the web or on Discovery channel or some movie about ocean liners are a good source of information.

An anchor can’t be shallow. It has to be far reaching in depth, tough, firm and unmoveable.

Imagine the size of those huge ocean liners. They would need something as tough to clasp them down.

We have all sizes of sea vessels which imply different sizes of anchors.

An anchor holds the vessel in place giving it stability.

What is your life Anchor?

An anchor is what holds us in place. Whatever we trust in troubled times is our anchor. Wherever we turn to for help is our anchor.

No matter how hard the waves beat upon the ship it never drifts into the ocean because the anchor is in firmly place. Your life anchor is your support system.

Reflections

What is holding your soul in place?

When life happens where do you go?

When that doctor’s report screams terminal illness where do you turn to?

Where do you turn to when the financials don’t add up and the bills keep coming?

Where do you turn when you can’t make sense of what is going on no matter how hard you try?

This seems like a great place for us to start for this study.

Bible Readings: Ezra 9: 1-15, Psalm 66:8-12 and Isaiah 22:20-23

Here is a man troubled by the oppression of his people, the abominations, the disobedience of God’s commands. He was in a difficult place. Like Ezra, we go through hard times.

Oppression, hunger, poverty, sickness etc are very real part of life. In Ezra’s time, sin had brought them this low. Yet in verse 9 Ezra recognizes God’s mercy and grace despite Israel’s position. So real in our day too is sin and abominations but more real is God’s mercy for His people.

What lessons can we learn?

The consequence of sin is expensive: The children of Israel had lost everything, their loved ones, their dignity, their identity and most of all, the house of God. Their transgressions had brought them this low. As the Bible declares sin is a reproach.

God never abandons His people: God was still there all the way. Ezra acknowledges His faithfulness and mercies during the course of intercessory prayers on behalf of Israel. 

Even when we go through tough times, God is always there with us.

The power of intercessory prayer: It is ok to be burdened by prevailing circumstances around you. But what you do with the burden matters. Ezra took that burden as a calling. His heart was too heavy not do anything.

Notice how one man’s burden for his people turned into a national revival because Ezra knew where to turn for help.

A secured place: My attention is drawn to verse 8 a nail in His holy place (KJV), other translation refer to that phrase as “secure hold” (AMP) “firm place” (NIV).  God still reserved a place of grace for His people. Although the Israelites continued a cycle of falling into sin and getting back when the consequences arrived, Ezra admitted to the transgression of His people.

It is by God’s grace we have received a secure place in His holy place. It is by His mercies alone. Ezra was in a difficult time but he never gave up.

The sin of the people burdened his heart, yet he sought the face of God. There’s a place that is safe. There is a place to unburden your heart. That’s where we find peace and security.

See Isaiah 22:23 refers to a sure place. God gives us a sure place in Him, a place where we are neither moved nor harried. (Psalm 62:6).

Where are you turning for help?

Psalm 66:9 which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.

Only God can hold your soul in life. Life as it is unpredictable and you need stability. It does not come from any place other than from God.

We are in a difficult world, like Ezra, we need want a place of security and stability. Your secure place is in God. He is the only One who can hold you firmly when life beats hard against your ship.

Is your heart burdened, take your burden to the Lord. Confess your sins and acknowledge His plenteous mercies and grace. Pray for the Lord to hold your soul in life. Ask the Lord to secure you in His holy presence.

This is the first part of this Study on the Anchored Woman. Don’t miss the other posts in this study. Sign Up today!